VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1524 3020711
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280711Z OCT 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0204
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8674
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0121

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001524 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, CROSS-STRAIT 
RELATIONS 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused October 
28 news coverage on the upcoming visit to Taiwan by China's 
Association for Relations across theQaiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman 
Chen Yunlin and planned talks between ARATS and Taiwan's Straits 
Exchange Foundation (SEF); and on Taiwan's sluggish economy.  In 
terms of editorials and commentaries, a column in the 
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" discussed next week's U.S. 
presidential election and concluded that Barack Obama will be 
elected as the United States' first black president.  An editorial 
in the pro-independence "Liberty Times," on the other hand, 
discussed the DPP's mass rally last Saturday and the upcoming 
SEF-ARATS talks.  The article called on the legislature quickly to 
establish a mechanism to oversee any deals made between the KMT and 
the Chinese Communist Party, to prevent Taiwan from being "sold 
out."  End summary. 
 
¶2. U.S. Presidential Election 
 
"The United States Is About to Have a New Regime" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang wrote in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
[circulation: 500,000] (10/28): 
 
"Following fierce campaigning for as long as two years, Barack Obama 
of the Democratic Party has overcome one difficulty after another 
and is now sure to win.  One week from now, [he] will rewrite 
history by becoming the first black president of the United States. 
...  After Obama becomes the host of the White House, the Democratic 
Party, having acquired a majority of seats in both the Senate and 
House, will be a party of comprehensive governance and full 
responsibility.  But the role of the U.S. government has changed 
significantly in the wake of the financial crisis.  Previously, the 
United States was co-administered by Washington D.C. and Wall 
Street, with the former in power and the latter in charge of the 
money.  Now that Wall Street has to look to Washington D.C. [for 
help], [the new administration] is going to be a very different big 
government. 
 
"The United States' status in the international community has 
suffered a rapid decline under the eight-year governance of 
President George W. Bush.  In the post-Bush era, the international 
order has put on a look of multipolarization; the United States is 
no longer a hegemon with the world as its empire, and New York's 
position as the hub of world finance has been challenged.  At this 
moment, with a black president coming to the fore, the world is 
undergoing great changes, and the United States is undergoing 
drastic changes as well.  God bless the United States!" 
 
¶3. Cross-Strait Relations 
 
"The Legislative Body Must Quickly Establish a Superintendence 
Mechanism to Prevent Ma [Ying-jeou] and Chen [Yunlin] from Selling 
out Taiwan in Chamber Meetings" [Ed.: behind closed doors] 
 
The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 700,000] 
editorialized (10/28): 
 
"... A total of 600,000 [Taiwan] people took to the streets on 
October 25, roaring their rage at the 'incompetent' government and 
making concrete demands regarding the actual benefits of [China's 
Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait Chairman] Chen 
Yunlin.  But [the demonstration] obviously has failed to make the Ma 
Administration straiQten its backbone and use the rally as leverage 
proactively to negotiate and argue strongly [with China] in a manner 
that embraces the interests of Taiwan and its people.  What is the 
problem here?  Could it be that the [upcoming] 'Chiang-Chen meeting' 
and 'Ma-Chen meeting' are meetings where those in power on both 
sides [of the Strait] will collude with each other to seek peace? 
Should that be the case, can [we] still trust this administration? 
The legitimacy for Chen Yunlin's visit to Taiwan has totally 
vanished, and Taiwan citizens should stand up bravely and demand 
strongly that the legislative body pay special attention to the 
seriousness of the KMT's and CCP's exchange of secret deals.  The 
legislature must also immediately establish a strict superintendence 
mechanism to prevent Taiwan from being subverted or toppled." 
 
 
YOUNG